Euro brief
August 2008
For further information on any of these news items, please contact: nwhile@bma.org.uk
Contents
- Tobacco taxation: proposal to increase duty
- MEPs call for clarification on implementation of EWTD
- Parliamentary declaration on liberal professions
- Bologna Process beyond 2010: conference
- Conference on future EU health policy
- European codes of conduct
The European Commission has released a proposal for a Directive to increase the current EU excise duty on tobacco. The draft Directive foresees a gradual increase in the EU minimum taxation levels on cigarettes and fine cut tobacco up to 2014. It also updates the definitions of different types of tobacco products so as to remove loopholes which allow certain cigarettes be presented as cigars, cigarillos or pipe tobacco and therefore benefit from a lower tax rate. By narrowing the differences between member states. tobacco taxation levels, the European Commission hopes to reduce intra-EU tobacco smuggling and to reduce smoking rates. Read the proposal.
MEPs call for clarification on implementation of EWTD
MEPs have published their draft report on the European Ombudsman's enquiry into the European Commission's failure to respond timely to a complaint submitted by a German doctor regarding the implementation of the EWTD in Germany. MEPs have debated the matter for the past year and will now debate the draft report at the parliamentary plenary session of 4 September, before finally adopting it during the autumn. Read the draft report.
The report does not provide a judgement on EWTD policy, rather it concerns the procedure that the European Commission followed in dealing with the complaint. The report agrees with the Ombudsman in condemning the delaying tactics used by Commission to enable it to avoid pursuing infringement proceedings against Germany.
The report also calls on the Commission to provide a list of the member states who have not fully implemented the EWTD. As part of the original EWTD agreement, the Commission is due to publish a mid-term review during the latter half of 2008 into the implementation of the directive in the 27 EU member states.
Parliamentary declaration on liberal professions
A group of MEPs have submitted a written declaration on the importance of the liberal professions in Europe. The declaration calls on the European Commission to ensure that the professions are not assessed solely on the basis of market economy criteria and to prevent a premature liberalisation of the professions. MEPs have until 23 October to sign the declaration.
Bologna Process beyond 2010: conference
The UK Europe Unit is holding a conference in London on 28 October which will debate the future of the Bologna Process post-2010 when the European Higher Education Area is due to be completed. Attendance costs £180 and further information can be found on the website below:
http://www.europeunit.ac.uk/sites/europe_unit2/news_and_information/index.cfm
Conference on future EU health policy
The European Commission is hosting a conference on 29-30 October which will determine the main drivers for EU health policy over the coming 10 years. A panel of high level speakers will debate future trends and priorities including the use of new technologies and innovative methods of working together. Further information can be found at the website below:
www.sanco-tomorrow.eu
European codes of conduct
The European Commission has published a report on the use of European codes of conduct in the professions. The report addresses the use of codes of conduct to cover issues such as professional qualifications and ethics. It can be read below:
http://cpme.dyndns.org:591/database/2008/Info.2008-161.en.codes.conduct.pdf